Isha Ambani made a strong fashion statement at a Met Gala pre-party in New York over the weekend in a neo-traditional outfit. She championed Indian craftsmanship in a rather special bandage dress that can easily pass off as a fashion map of India.
Ambani arrived at Vogue’s Pre-Party in a custom handcrafted look by Manish Malhotra x Swadesh. For the uninitiated, Swadesh is a premium, artisan-only retail brand launched by Reliance Retail to promote Indian heritage and handcrafted products.
The ensemble, a strapless dress, was composed of 26 distinct borders that represented different regions of India, giving a nod to this year’s theme of “Costume Art.”
This dress brought together techniques from across India, including zari work from Uttar Pradesh, Parsi Gara embroidery, Maheshwari weave from Madhya Pradesh, Kanjeevaram from Tamil Nadu, Paithani from Maharashtra, Banarasi brocade, and Kantha from Bengal, along with Karchobi, Aari Bharat, and Tilla. Drawing from the north, south, east, and west, it celebrated the richness and diversity of India’s textile heritage.
It took artisans over 450 hours to craft this dress.
Celebrity stylist Anaita Shroff Adajania styled Ambani for the special evening. She added a set of stunning jewels to elevate the look. The cynosure was a metallic braid accessory by homegrown label Outhouse Jewellery. As for the glam, Isha went bold with a smokey eye and defined brows. A heavy pair of bejewelled floral earrings and a ring cuff completed her look.
Isha Ambani is a Met Gala regular. Last year, she wore a bejewelled Anamika Khanna creation styled with her mother Nita Ambani’s exquisite jewellery. In 2024, her pick for fashion’s biggest outing was a Rahul Mishra gown.
Now that the countdown to the Met Gala 2026 has begun, all eyes are on what she will wear on the red carpet. Going by the sartorial tone she has set with her pre-party look, it appears that a powerful fashion moment is on the horizon, one that could put Indian fashion prowess on the global map.
The Met Gala red carpet unfolds at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City on the first Monday of May each year. This year, it falls on May 4. Indian audiences can catch the red carpet live on Vogue’s YouTube channel starting around 3:30 am on May 5 (Tuesday).
– Ends
